Australia's favourite tree

As part of Science Week, 13^th – 21^st August, the ABC is conducting a poll to discover Australia’s favourite tree. To help you decide, ABC Science has provided a list of 33 trees with photos and information and a simple-to-fill-in voting form, from which can choose 3 of your favourites.

Here’s the LINK. (ABC Science)

The list will be ‘pruned’ to just 10 trees for a final vote in early August.

 

PS: Just in case you haven’t checked out our own website yet, here’s the LINK to Baw Baw Biodiversity (thanks Chris – magnificent job).

The pros and cons of infill development

Urban infill development is described as development that utilizes unused and underused land in urban areas in order to increase density and to place new developments closer to existing resources and infrastructure.

Infill developments usually involve subdividing one allotment into two or more titles, adding an extra residence to a title, constructing townhouses on a title, etc.

The pros…

Infill development is said to help stop urban sprawl which can involve costly infrastructure projects, loss of valuable farm land and natural environment.

Infill development done properly, is able to; encourage more diverse and affordable housing options, reduce the number and length of car trips, provide more options for children and the elderly, provide a better sense of community and even give healthier and safer outcomes.

Compared to infill, urban sprawl can add up being 300+% more costly to local government, aka the ratepayers.

Good infill development can offer the opportunity to address the environmental impacts of urban sprawl development. It can revitalize communities, meet housing demands and improve community health.

The cons…

Some infill developments are not compatible with the neighbourhood environment such as multi-story units in the middle of average sized, single homes.

While one view of infill development is that it promotes a better sense of community, another is that increased density creates a whole new set of issues, loss of privacy, etc.

Infill development often involves the removal, legally or not, of significant vegetation on private land, so reducing the ‘greening’ of a neighbourhood.

Increasing the density of population with infill development can give rise to issues of existing infrastructure not coping.

The paradox…

Sprawl versus density

Most people are against sprawl AND density. Anyone want to sort that out?

 

 

 

 

State of the Environment Report

The Australian Government has produced a State of the Environment Report every 5 years since 1995. The latest was released today, 19^th July 2022.

It is a large document; you can access it here LINK.

Here are some headlines…

The Daily Mail Australia: “The 'resoundingly bad' report Scott Morrison didn't want you to read: Scathing health check reveals Australia's environment is 'deteriorating' as list of animals at risk of going extinct grows”

The Guardian: “State of the environment: shocking report shows how Australia’s land and wildlife are being destroyed”

The Conversation: “This is Australia’s most important report on the environment’s deteriorating health. We present its grim findings”

Sydney Morning Herald: “Environment scorecard finds Australia’s habitat ‘crumbling rapidly’”

ABC News: “Majority of Australia's environment in 'poor' state as Labor blames the Coalition for decade of 'inaction and wilful ignorance'”

Herald Sun (subscribers only): “Australia’s ‘shocking’ environment report card”

The Age: “The five graphics that explain the State of the Environment report”

Nine News Melbourne: “Australia has lost more mammal species than any other continent, damning environment report warns”

The Washington Post: “Australia leads continents in mammal extinctions, climate report says”

BBC News: “Australia's environment in 'shocking' decline, report finds”

Pretty well unanimous!